Convention of the Slovenian Democratic Alliance ends

Ljubljana, 12 October - The convention of one of the most important ruling parties in Slovenia, the Slovenian Democratic Alliance (SDZ) ended today in Ljubljana. After two days, the convention ended in a split into two parties. The first one, in which most of the members i.e. delegates of the convention remained, changed its name into SDZ - NDS (Slovenian Democratic Alliance - National Democratic Party). It is headed by dr. Rajko Pirnat, otherwise the minister of justice in the Slovenian government. The second party, which claims for itself the name SDZ, retained the majority of the founding members and most of its distinguished members (dr. Dimitrij Rupel - foreign minister, Igor BavČar - minister of interior, dr. France Bučar - president of the Slovenian parliament, and many other distinguished members of the parliament, eg. Rudi Šeligo, Igor Omerza, Tone Peršak, Spomenka Hribar). The difference between the two parties arose over the program of the party. SDZ - NDS became "right-wing", while the rest of SDZ decided in favor of a civil, centrally oriented party. This division also changed the balance of power within the ruling coalition DEMOS. Both parties remain within DEMOS, but well-informed sources say that SDZ - NDS will be closer to the Christian democrats and the liberals, while the rest of SDZ will be closer to the green party and the social democrats.